Restrictor plates will be used at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity race this season.
Restrictor plates aren’t just for Talladega and Daytona anymore. According to reports confirmed by NBC Sports, NASCAR will use restrictor plates for the Xfinity race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.
NEWS: I just confirmed what I 1st reported last Nov. in AZ Republic: #NASCAR will require use of restrictor-plate engines @ims Xfinity race.
— Michael Knight (@SpinDoctor500) March 18, 2017
These reports are coming just a few weeks after NASCAR decided to move the Charlotte fall race to the infield, remove a race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in favor of Las Vegas, and talks of quieter cars in NASCAR.
If the race is deemed a success, NASCAR has said that the restrictor plates would be an option for the Brickyard 400 in 2018. In addition to that, NASCAR is considering using restrictor plates for Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway.
Restrictor plates, a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power, have been used in NASCAR since 1988 at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway for each of the two races held there during the season.
The last time it was used at a track not named Daytona or Talladega was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2000. Following fatal crashes of Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin, Jr. during the May Busch Series and July Cup Series races, respectively, NASCAR mandated a restrictor plate to help slow the cars as they headed towards the turns during the Cup Series race. Jeff Burton would go on to lead all 300 laps during that race.
The racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series has been anything short of spectacular in recent years. Is the restrictor plate the answer, or is it time to visit the infield road course at Indianapolis?
The road course idea isn’t that far fetched, as the Sports Business Journal reported last week that the IMS road course was under consideration for usage in the Cup Series.
"How soon the track could look to implement the move was unclear as of presstime, and whether other possible changes to the race are being considered was unclear. But ’18 would seem more likely for any move given the competition and business issues that would need to be addressed as part of any switch and the fact that this year’s race is only about four months away."
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Restrictor plates in the Xfinity Series at Indy and adding another road course race to the schedule in the Cup Series are all more possible changes coming to NASCAR, continuing the sports evolution under new series sponsor Monster Energy.